


Fireplace

by Lizlow



Category: Ozmafia!! (Visual Novel)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/M, Grimmafia!! AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-11
Updated: 2020-10-11
Packaged: 2021-03-08 00:22:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,120
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26946625
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lizlow/pseuds/Lizlow
Summary: she puts all her energy into 'existing' and still she has pieces that remain. they grow and grow, for they are boundless. even if they are cast asunder, they will return together and rise once more, able to be set ablaze again and again.they have a spot they can return to, where they will always be permitted to reside.for fuka, she is happy just stumbling forward with this knowledge, this truth, that she has people, people like scarlet there for her.
Relationships: Fuka/Scarlet (Ozmafia!!)
Comments: 1
Kudos: 10





	Fireplace

**Author's Note:**

> i've missed writing these two a lot! i adore ozmafia, and i adore fuka a lot on her own. i have a lot of personal attachment to her, so i've been wanting to come back to her. this was meant to be finished to celebrate ozmafia vivace's switch launch, but i've only just now finished it. i hope you enjoy!

Her painting supplies are settled, as neat as they can probably get for being very invested in, on the table in the center of the room. It was really _kind_ of Gretel to let her set up here, and Fuka’s truly grateful! To Soh for giving her these materials, to Gretel for assisting her in picking them out, to the Grimm Famiglia for letting her stay _here_ , with them. Of course, it’s quite possible (probable, really) that it had been _this_ spot that was chosen so that Fuka doesn’t bother Gretel in her room _too much_ , but one can be certain that as soon as Fuka’s created something new that she’s _proud of_ (which is anything she makes!) she’ll dash over to Gretel’s and show her. _In fact_ , she did so earlier!

This plan _has_ backfired on her courteous hosts, but that’s just what they have to accept, what they _have_ gotten adjusted to. 

For the time being though, she sits upon the couch all her lonesome, simply humming to herself. It’s nearly time for a _certain acting Don_ to be home, and she wants to greet him, for all the hard work he’s done today - every day - with a _big_ “ _Welcome home!_ ” It’s a really basic wish, but it’s something Fuka is very, very fond of. She isn’t sure if it’s something she enjoyed, or even did, as the previous ‘her,’ _whoever_ that was before her memories went _‘poof!_ ’ (that’s... what they did, right?) but... _oh, whatever!_ That doesn’t matter, not at all! This is just what she wants to do as the ‘her’ now, as ‘Fuka!’

Tomorrow will be Sunday, and it will be a day of peace, just like _any other Sunday!_ Those are the rules of this town, this town that is torn by warring factions on any other day of the week. It’s a horribly-scary town, but Fuka has found it especially hard to _stay afraid_ , so long as she has the support of those that she lives with, of those she’s befriended. Yes, she’s come to an important conclusion...

‘Living’ is so fun!

If Fuka had to say who was the easiest to talk to _outside_ of this family, she would probably say it’s Soh, the one who sets up shop in the square every Sunday, in particular. But it’s also been nice to learn about cute, little story books thanks to Caramia - who _happens_ to be the Don of the Oz Famiglia, but it should... be okay to talk to him a little bit... as long as it’s Sunday, right? So long as she, in Hansel’s words, doesn’t ‘flirt with him,’ it’s fine, isn’t it? 

“Flirt... though?” Fuka muses out loud. 

“Oh-ho? Fuka, _baby_ , the conversation’s going _right_ now.”

Fuka misses this first interjection, instead having her stream of thoughts jump to how, in the end, she adores talking with the Grimms plenty, and how she hopes they can use tonight - and tomorrow - to take it easy! Oh, but, Hansel says that she seems to ‘flirt’ with _Scarlet_ too, come to think of it... “Haha, that doesn’t sound right.” She shakes her head, only to open her eyes to see Hansel in front of her. 

“Is there someone you _li~ke?_ ” 

“Huh?”

“ _Flirt~!_ Who’re you flirting with?” 

Really, Hansel seems to have appeared out of thin air, all things considered (it’s impressive!), just to speak his piece. In mere seconds, he’s plopped right next to Fuka, his arm placed on the back of the couch behind her. It’s _just_ far enough where he’s not touching her but, honestly, she probably wouldn’t have minded, or noticed, if he did. 

“Oh, hello, Hansel!” Fuka’s smile is bright, “and no one! ...I think?”

“Fuka, _Fu~ka_ , I don’t believe that’s true at all! I’ve told you, I’ve told you, so how about the way you talk to—”

“- _Hansel.”_

Scarlet walks into the manor, and into this particular room, and he’s immediately greeted with a headache that’s _returned_ with so much vigor, that had it been anyone else, they might’ve been shocked on how he’s still standing _and breathing_ . But this is Scarlet, and even though Doctor Robin Hood suggests he take more than a few seconds rest, he has _the subjects_ and _culprits_ of this headache in the room, and they are one half of the _troublesome_ twins and their unfortunately naïve (and practically permanent) guest. 

“Oh~? Great timing, great timing! You’re home!”

“Scarlet!” Fuka looks over, and while it _is_ surprise she displays at first (when one wishes to be prepared to shout at the top of her being at someone when they get home, it’s shocking to discover that they got _distracted!_ ), it switches into a warm and joyful smile, “Hansel and I were just talking--” 

“- _about_ how sweet Fuka here _definitely_ flirts with you the-”

“ _Haaa_ ...” Scarlet sighs loudly, cutting Hansel off. He just _expects_ this of Hansel, and while it’s _easier_ for him to be here, at home, and not causing particularly messy trouble outdoors. Then again, both him and Gretel being _inside_ now might mean there’s something to look into cleaning up later. “Hansel, you don’t need to finish that.” 

“Eh? So, you already know! Then again, you’re with her a lot. Haha, she’s _really_ cu~te, so I get why even someone like you gets soft on her. We’re lucky to have a guest like her!”

Scarlet contemplates walking off to his office and letting his boots hit the ground with a specific sort of power, but he can’t do that. Not when he looks to Fuka to see her stare perk up when their eyes meet. _Still,_ he gets more than enough teasing from a _certain shop owner_ on Sundays, so to have his own ‘ _family’ members...!_ But... they wouldn’t be _endearingly_ important people in his life, those twins, if they didn’t give him a certain familiar concern, would they? So, instead of departing, Scarlet thins out his stare at Hansel, frowning with his arms crossed. 

And, soon thereafter, realizing the mood is totally turned in a different direction, Hansel jumps up and winks at Fuka, then whispering, “ _Don’t let me keep you from having fun with Scarlet. See ya around, Hot~tie~”_ before making his exit. 

The statement absolutely goes over Fuka’s head, but that’s quite okay. She says rather loudly, “Okay, good night, Hansel!” and that’s the end of that from her. 

Despite Hansel’s words being a whisper, however, they don’t miss Scarlet, and he moves to light the fireplace, since it’s gotten a little chilly, before he sits himself down on the couch at an awkwardly reasonable distance from Fuka. He might as well take a moment of rest (he needs to!), and he figures if Fuka is waiting here, she must have something to say. She’s someone that innocently bares everything in her head, and yet it all ends up an absolute mystery at the end of it. 

“Miss Fuka, I’ll state a warning again, but please take care, even on Sundays.” _Especially_ so, really. 

“I know! I want to do all in my power not to trouble you, Scarlet. Since you let me stay here, I’ll keep doing my best..!” In saying this, she ends up, unconsciously, scooting closer to Scarlet. She reaches forward and pulls the art she created over too. The space between them feels cold! And how is he supposed to see her work if he’s so far away?

“M-Miss Fuka...” Scarlet turns a little red, and he tries to clear his thought to shake it off, “Did you paint this today?” He asks, looking forward to the table. The stains on her fingers - and dress too - should have given him that hint, but he admits, the situation feels a lot warmer _now_. Taking in Fuka, for a better - or worse - situation at the beginning has paid into their lives in a way that’s almost indescribable. She’s very strangely... hard to imagine not being in their lives anymore. 

From now on, until she regains what she’s lost - _no_ , beyond that, she can stay. Just like the fire that’s burning over there, just because it goes out doesn’t mean it’s disappeared. It rests, until it’s brought back, but its spot always, always remains. 

_He_ would have liked her too, wouldn’t he?

How different would things have been, if she ran in another direction that day, if he hadn’t been the one to puff up his chest and defend her from _that wolf_ ? Would they have been restricted to Sundays? Would they even be talking? Surely, he wouldn’t have had these thoughts, if that had been the case. He wouldn’t change a thing, about what did _become_ . What matters is that _this_ is their current. Maybe she’ll stay, doing what she can, with the Grimms, for even longer. 

“I did!”

“You’re getting better.”

“Haha, I want to! I’ll keep at it, because it’s really fun! Maybe soon, Greta will teach me how to sew...” Even though they both are at least kind of aware that Fuka with needles means she’ll poke herself plenty, he knows that Fuka herself won’t take no for an answer, and that she’ll keep and keep pestering Gretel _until_ she gets it, without realizing that she’s even being the tiniest bit ‘bothersome’ in the first place.

“It’s possible,” Scarlet comments, with a bit of hesitation, “just don’t make her too angry.” In the end, he smiles, just slightly. 

“I won’t, I promise,” Fuka answers. She’s thankful to Scarlet, also, for lighting the fireplace. She had planned on asking about it herself, remembering that the last time she tried it, she nearly burnt her fingers. He had placed a soft ban on her even considering it afterwards. 

These days are spent in spite of the risks, in spite of everything that could fall apart at the turn of a trigger in this _war-torn_ town. Is that way it’s peaceful at her side? Because she’s a series of firsts, because her eyes alight at even the slightest prospect of something new? Because she’ll take his hand, regardless of the time of day? 

He’s... _they’re_ glad they met one another. 

The warmth from the fire cracks through the air, but Fuka believes it doesn’t have to, not anymore. She’s really, really satisfied with where she’s at, and she thinks... she thinks she wants it to stay longer. More and more, with him. More and more, these days that cannot let her down, even if she might get tangled and tangled in the affairs with these warring factions, she doesn’t want to, dare not even consider departing. To support Scarlet, and all that can be in his presence, maybe it’s not enough, but she’ll push forward, so she can see his cute smile!

Without really thinking, she loops her arm with his. Hansel’s correct in that observation of his, isn’t he? That she, _ahem_ , ‘flirts’ without holding back. 

That’s embarrassing. It truly is. 

“Oh! I nearly forgot!” Fuka’s head suddenly shoots up, and she turns to face Scarlet, accidentally getting her face a little too close once again, so much that this time that Scarlet wonders if she can hear his heart beating - her own energy is so calm, so at ease. As gentle as ever, as vibrant as ever, mixed with the glow of an unending light. “Scarlet, welcome home!”

“A-Ah, thank you, Miss Fuka... I’m home.”

“Haha, yes! See, it turned out okay, because I remembered!” 

“Yes... Can I ask you one more thing?”

“Yes? What is it?” 

“Are you happy?” 

“Huh? Of course I am! I’m happy to be here, with Hansel and Greta and, most of all,” it takes mere seconds for her to unlink and then throw her arms around him, “you! I’m grateful that I’m allowed to stay here, that ‘I’m’ able to to live!” 

She’ll paint more moments, like this. She’ll get more moments like this. Is that promise he’s giving as he carefully returns the gracious hug she’s presented to him. Is this what freedom means, for the both of them? There still remain unanswered questions from the past, and perhaps there lies actual resolution, if only they could look more, but something tells them, tells them that it’ll be alright. 

Actually, Fuka _knows_ that or, more so, she’s certain that she thinks that, so it becomes true to her. 

Her joy only grows and grows and _grows_ as Scarlet’s hold tightens just a bit more. She’s looking forward to the next day, and the next day, and the next, since she knows, _absolutely positively knows_ that she can rely on those around her to fill her head with even more great memories, all just like this night before the glow of a sunset warmth. 


End file.
